Automatic valve.



No.747,769-. PATENTBD DE0.-22','1'903 A. L. RICHARDS.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

, APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1903.

10 MODEL.

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UNITED STAT S Patented December 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALANSO N L. RICHARDS, 'OF AUBURN, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,769, dated December22, 1903.

- Application filed June 22,1903- Serial No. 162,664. (No model.)

To alZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALANSON L. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Auburn, in the county of Geauga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Valve, of which the following is aspecification. v I

This invention relates to valves adapted for automatic operation, moreparticularly to valves controlled by floats; and the object of theinvention is to produce a device of this character of improvedconstruction which will be adapted for employment Where aquicklyresponsive movement is required. Valves of this character arerequired in connection with evaporating apparatus of various kinds, butmay be employed for other purposes and in connection with other forms ofapparatus requiring valves of similar construction and arrangement.Hence I do not desire to be limited in any manner to the use of thevalve for any specific purpose or in connection with any particular formof apparatus, but reserve the right to its use for small movement of thecontrolling means will effect an immediate response in the action of thevalve in order'to prevent visible variations in the level of thematerial upon which the float rests, and the valves must operate with aminimum of friction and be unaifected by changes in pressure from thehead of material in the reservoir.

The device herein shown and described accomplishes all of theabove-enumerated results and others which will appear in mean nexeddescription and be specified in the v claims following.

The improved device may be applied to any of the various forms ofevaporating and similar apparatus wherein it is requisite to maintainthe material being treated at a constant depth but for the purpose ofillustration is shown applied.to an ordinary apparatus of thischaracter-such, for instance, as are employed in the manufacture ofmaple sugar and syrups, to which it is especially applicable.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which correspondingparts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional view of the device applied. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

The supply tank or reservoir is indicated at 10 and the evaporating-panat l1, which may be of any of the usual or ordinary forms, and as suchdevices are of well-known construction and as the automatic valve may beapplied to all the various forms of reservoir and evaporating-panmanufactured it is not deemed necessary to illustrate them indetail.

The automatic valve comprises a valve- .casing 12, having means at oneend, such as valve-face may be readily produced and will be so attachedto the casing that it may be readily renewed when worn. The valve-seatis provided with a plurality of elongated apertures 15, parallel to theaxial line of the valve, the apertures being spaced apart uniformly, andthus forming alternating lands and F ports.

Attached to apposite sides of the casing 12 are arms or bearing-plates16 17, pivotally connected, as at 18, to the casing and longitudinallyslotted at their free ends, as at 19 20, and likewise provided withcurved slots 21 22, through which clamp-screws 23 24 are tapped into thecasing 12, as shown in Fig. 3. By this means the free ends of the'armsmay be adjusted laterally to correspondingly adjust the valve, ashereinafter shown.

The valve-frame consists of a tubular memher or stock 25, from whichsegmental arms 2627 extend, and to the outer ends'of'the arms thevalve-face 28 isattached, the valveface being the segment of a circlewith the same radius as the seat '14, so that when the two parts 14 28are engaged they closely correspond. The member 28 is provided with aplurality .of spaced ports 29, corresponding to the ports in the seat14, so that when the two parts 14 28 are placed in a certain positionthe two sets of ports will coincide and provide a free passage for thematerial through'the valve, and then when the lands between the ports 29are moved over the ports 15 the latter will be out off, as will beobvious.

Disposed within the opposite slots 19 20 of the arms 16 17 is a rod 30,threaded at the ends and secured adjustably in the slots by cone-nuts 3132 and jam-nuts 33 34. The cone-nuts 31 32 engage antifriction-balls 3536, which operate against bearing-rings 37 33, supported by shoulders inthe ends of the tubular member 25, whereby a ball-bearing is providedfor the oscillating valve, which is adjustable in the slots 19 20.

Attached to one of the segmental arms 26 27 isa lever-arm 39 andextending therefrom to any required distance and attached by a rod 40 toa float member 41, resting on the liquid in the pan 11, as shown. Bythis arrangement it will be obvious that the rising and falling of thefloat will correspondingly oscillate the valve upon the seat, andthereby regulate the flow through the valve.

The rod 40 is provided with a plurality of apertures 42 for thelever-arm 3.), so that the relative position of. the float and valve maybe altered \vhenrequired to provide for a predetermined stage at whichthe liquid will be maintained in the evaporator-pan.

Any suitable means may be employed for supporting the valve-casing uponthe evaporating-pan; but for the purpose of illustration an approvedmeans for supporting it is shown consisting of spaced pins 43 44,extending upward from the edge of the pan 11 and through perforatedplates 45 46, extending laterally from the sides of the casing. Thisholds the valve-casing with sufficient firmness andsteadiness,whilepermittingit to be quickly detached when required. Bythis simple arrangement a very slight downward movement of the floatwill simultaneously open very slightly all the corresponding ports 15 29and permit the passage of sufficient quantity of the liquid from thereservoir to compensate for the loss in the evaporator, and when thisinflow elevates the float again the supply will be out off, thus by thecoaction of the float and valve automatically controlling the supply andmaintaining it at a constant level in the pan 11.

The ball-bearing feature of the valve-journal is an important one,insuring the prompt and sensitive action of the float upon the valve andobviating any danger of the sticking of the parts, and thus preventiugaready response to the changes of level in the pan.

One of the marked advantages of the construction and arrangement of thevalve herein disclosed is that the pressure of the head in the reservoirhas very little eifect upon the movement of the valve, so little, in

liquid in the reservoir will not perceptibly affect the action of thevalve, as all the pressure being at all times in a direct radial linethrough bearing of the valve, no lateral leverage strains can occur tomove the valve sidewise, and by the arrangement of the ballbearingfeature the slight change of pressure between a full or empty reservoirwill not be noticeable in its effect upon a valve constructed as shown.Another great advantage of this construction is that if forauy reasonthe material in the pan 11 fall below the normal stage, which may becaused, for instance, by the removal ofa finished batch of syrup, therelatively large combined area of the plurality of ports 15 29, whichwould be thereby fully opened by the falling float, would very quicklyresupply the pan without loss of time and also obviate any tendency toburn the pan or the contents. This quick replenishing of the pan isespecially important in handling maple sap, which is very easily injuredby overheating. Then, again, if for any reason an abnormal increase inthe heat of the fire should occur and correspondingly. increase theevaporation the quick and sensitive response of the valve would preventany detrimental effects from this cause, as will be obvious. By thisarrangement of parts the depth of the liquid in the pan is automaticallymaintained at a "uniform depth and a very uniform product therebyinsured.

While I have shown in the foregoing description the preferred form ofconstruction and embodiment of the invention, it is not necessarilylimited thereto, as modifications maybe made therein without departingfrom the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a device ofthe character described, a valve-casing having a segmental valve-seatprovided with a plurality of spaced ports,

spaced arms extending from said valve-casing, a segmental valve havingports corresponding to the ports in said valve-casing and mounted foroscillation in said arms, means for adjusting said arms relative to saidcasing, and means for adjusting said valve relative to said arms.

2. In a device of the character described, a valve-casing having asegmental valve-seat provided with a plurality of spaced ports, spacedarms extending from said valve-casing, a segmental valve having portscorresponding to the ports in said valve-casing and mounted foroscillation in said arms, means for adjusting said arms relative to saidcasing, means for adjusting said valve relative to said arms, and afloat connected to operate said valve.

3. In a device of the character described, a valve-casing, a segmentalvalve-seat connected detachably to said casing and provided fact, thatany change in the quantity of the I withaplurality of spaced ports,avalve-frame having a segmental valve-face connected detachably theretoand provided with ports corresponding to the ports in said valve-seat,and means for movably mounting said valve relative to said valve casingand seat.

4. In a device of the character described, a valve-casing having asegmental valve-seat provided with a plurality of spaced ports, spacedarms pivotally connected tosaid casing and extending in advance ofsaidvalveseat and having longitudinal slots in their free ends, meansfor adjusting said arms upon said pivots, a segmental valve havingspaced ports corresponding to the ports in said valve-seat and withbearings adjustably engaging said slots, means for adjusting saidbearings in said slots, and means for oscillating said valve upon itsbearings.

5. In a device of the character described, a valve-casing having asegmental valve-seat provided with a plurality of spaced ports, spacedarms extending from said casing and having longitudinal slots in theirfree ends, a segmental valve having bearings engaging said slots andwith spaced ports corresponding to the portsv in said valve-seat,-andmeans for adjusting said hearings in said slots.

6. In a device of the character described, a valve-casing having asegmental valve-seat provided with a plurality of spaced ports, spacedarms extending from said casing and having longitudinal slots in theirfree ends, a segmental valve having ports corresponding to the ports insaid valve-seat and with a. tubularsupporting member concentric thereto,a shaft having ends extending through said slots and disposedlongitudinally of said tubular member, and adjustable bearings betweensaid shaft and tubular member.

valve-casing having a segmental valve-seat provided with a plurality ofspaced ports, spaced arms extending from said casing and havinglongitudinal slots in their free ends, a segmental valve having portscorresponding to the ports in said valve-seat and with a tubularsupporting member concentric thereto, a shaft having threaded ends andextending through said tubular member and likewise through said slottedarms, conical nuts engaging said threaded ends'and adjustable thereonrelative to said tubular memher, and spaced arms bearing rings betweensaid cone-nuts and said tubular member, and antifriction-balls betweensaid bearingrings and cone-nuts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALANSON L. RICHARDS.

Witnesses: p

S. L. WADS ORTH, M, E. COLEMAN.

4o '7. In a device of thecharacter described, a

